Weft-detecting loom-shuttle.



m. 753,601. PATENTED JULY 14,1903. R.SLAGK. WEFT DETECTING LOOM SHUTTLE.

APPLICATION mum mm: so. 1902.

no MODEL.

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UNITED STATES ATnNT Patented July 14, 1903.

Trice.

WEFT-DETECTING LOOM-SHUTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 733,601, dated July 14, 1903.

Application filed June 30,1902. Serial No. 113,816. No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT SLACK, manufacturer, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Old Falinge, Rochdale, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Veft-Detecting Loom-Shuttles Employed in Connection with Electric Stop-Motions or Automatic Shuttle-Changing Motions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in weft-detecting loom-shuttles employed in connection with electric stop-motions or automatic shuttle-changing motions; and the object of my improvements is to stop the loom automatically just before the weft is exhausted or if my improvements are used in connection with anyself-shuttling mechanism to cause the shuttle to be automatically replaced before the weft fails, thus entirely obviating broken picks.

In carrying my improvements into effect I employ a feeler which is pivoted, say, on a shoulder formed on the head of the shuttlepeg, the pivot-pin passing through the center of the feeler. One end of the feeler rests by gravity on the yarn near the bottom of the cop or bobbin. The other end of the feeler when the cop becomes nearly exhausted comes in contact with an adjustable metal connection, which by means of a wire is con nected with a metal plate on one side of the shuttle, while the shuttle-peg is connected by a pin to a metal plate 011 the other side of the shuttle. The plates on either side of the shuttle come in contact with the metal side of the shuttle-box on one side and the usual metal swell in the shuttle-box 011 the other. These two sides of the shuttle-box are insulated one from the other, both being connected by means of wires with an electromagnet or other device and also with a source of electrical energy. As the weftis gradually woven off the feeler will fall lower and lower until just before the weft is completely run off the other end of the feeler will touch the adjustable metal connection, and when the shuttle comes into the shuttle-box the plates upon both sides of the shuttle will close and complete the electric circuit, energize the magnet, and either stop the loom or bring the automatic shuttlechanging mechanism into operation. I accomplish this object by the mechanism illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved shuttle, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the bobbin removed.

The body of the improved shuttle is of the usual form and construction; but it has sccured to it on eachside a metal plate 2 3. I employ a feeler 4, which is pivoted at 5 on a shoulder or projection 6, formed 011 the head of the shuttle-peg 7 the pivot-pin 5 passing through the center of the feeler at. One end of the feeler 4 rests by gravity on the yarn near the bottom of the cop or bobbin 8 and is prevented from jumping too far upward when the shuttle is at work by a transverse pin 9. The back end of the feeler 4[ when the cop becomes nearly exhausted comes in contact with an adjustable metal connection, in this instance a slotted plate 10, secured by screws 11 to the top of the shuttle and connected by a wire 12 'to a metal side plate 2, while the shuttle-peg 7 is connected by its pivot-pin 13 to the metal side plate 3. The plates 2 3 on either side of the shuttle come in contact with a metal side of the shuttle-box on one side and the usual metal swell in the shuttle-box on theZother, as hereinafter described. These two sides of the shuttle-box are insulated one from the other, both being connected by means of wires with an electric magnet or other device and. also with a source of electrical energy. As the weft is gradually Woven off the cop or bobbin 8 the feeler 4: will fall lower and loweruntil just before the weft is completely drawn off the other end of the feeler will touch the adjustable metal plate 10, and when the shuttle comes into the shuttle-box the plates 2 3 upon both sides of the shuttle will close and complete the electric circuit, energize the magnet, and either stop the loom or bring the automatic shuttlechanging mechanism into operation. the shuttle-peg 7 is raised into the position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1,'to-receive a new cop or bobbin, the rear end of the feeler 4, abutting against the face of a recess in the shuttle, presses back the front end of the feeler clear of the cop or bobbin.

In my arrangement it will be seen on reference to the drawings that when the yarn is when nearly all drawn off the bobbin the feeler 4 will have fallen and the center of gravity of that arm of the feeler which rests upon the weft is below the center of the pivotingpin 5. Consequently when the shuttle is checked on entering the shuttle-box the kinetic energy of the feeler forces or throws the end of the feeler resting on the weft down and acts for the moment with more pressure than the mere force due to gravity. This, if the point has been reached where contact is possible, insures that the contact shall be firm and good, for the contact is made when the shuttle is in the shuttle-box, and this allows the electric circuit to be instantly completed through the two plates on the sides of the shuttle and the metal sides of the shuttle-box, one of which is the usual swell. This effect one cannot have when working with a spring, where the pressure will be constant all through the pick of the shuttle from start to finish. The result of this arrangement is that much tenderer yarn may be woven with the gravity-feeler 4, for the pressure during the pick of the shuttle when weft is being drawn off the bobbin is very slight, while the firm pressure necessary for a good contact is obtained in the shuttlebox, where the contact is required, and no weft is being withdrawn, while with the feeler actuated by a spring,the pressure being the same all through, 'it must be equal to that necessary to obtain a firm contact; but this pressure will put a drag on the yarn, which when using the gravity-finger is almost entirely obviated.

My improved shuttle being self-contained it can be applied to any loom whether plain, drop, or circular box.

It will be readily understood that the improved shuttle may be employed in conjunction with any known motion for stopping the loom or automatically changing the shuttle.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination in a shuttle, a metallic feeler pivoted 011 the head of the shuttle-peg and having one end resting by gravity upon the yarn on the shuttle-peg, an adjustable metal connection against which the other end of the feeler abuts when the yarn is nearly all drawn 01f, metal side plates on the shuttle in metallic contact with the adjustable plate and the head of the shuttle-peg respectively, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination in a shuttle, of a metallic feeler pivoted at the center on the shuttle'peg and with one end normally resting on the weft on the shuttle-peg and an adjustable metal connection so arranged that contact is made between it and the other end of the feeler when the weft has reached any required degree of exhaustion, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. In a shuttle, a feeler pivoted in the center on the shuttle-peg and having one arm slightly heavier than the other to cause it to rest by gravity on the weft on the shuttlepeg, the lighter arm of the feeler being arranged to make contact with an adjustable metal plate, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT SLACK.

Vitnesses:

E. LYTTLETON lVoRTH, JOHN H. JOHNSON. 

